The Graduate’s Beautifully Historic Glass Elevator

The Graduate Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island, originally named the Biltmore Hotel, has spent 102 years wowing guests with its iconic, old school interior design. Following a brief closing of its doors, the hotel reopened with the support of a group of local business owners led by newly elected Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci. Wanting to boost Providence’s list of attractions for travelers, a stunning new feature was added to the already impressively ornate hotel: A glass elevator that boasted access to the best view of the city from the 18th floor was added for the reopening in 1979. Despite being a breathtaking feat of engineering, the historic glass elevator had to be shut down for good in the 1990s after facing repeated issues. Today, the elevator can still be viewed in all its original glory and serves as a window into the Graduate Hotel’s past.